GC bathroom with functionality and aesthetics in mind

When Amber Harmon initially met with Grove City homeowners Paul and Carol White nearly a year ago to discuss the main objective for a bathroom remodel, the word functional positioned itself as a common theme. The White envisioned a user-friendly shower, sans grout, to make for easier maintenance.

The project was a total floor-to-ceiling remodel with an entirely new shower, vanity, flooring and trim areas, along with a barn door entrance into the walk-in closet. Harmon, a designer with Elite Home Remodeling, Inc., knew exactly how to turn their dream bathroom into a reality in the span of just six weeks.

“Functionality was the Whites’ biggest goal,” Harmon says. “That’s why we went with the solid surface onyx material for the shower.”

The existing shower was removed in favor of a new custom one with onyx walls and basin. The shower has a custom frameless clear glass shower surround, large rain showerhead with a separate hand-held sprayer, built-in storage and a half wall for privacy.

“From a designer standpoint, it’s making sure everything comes together in a nice way that will complement and flow with the rest of the home.” - Amber Harmon

Onyx is a man-made solid surface material that is grout free. The material is customizable, with the ability to fit any shower space, and comes in a variety of colors and finishes. It is a durable product with a lifetime warranty. Harmon says that it is a great option for people who do not want grout in their bathroom.

“We installed new luxury vinyl, LVT flooring for several reasons,” Harmon says. “There is no grout so easy maintenance, the vinyl is warmer and softer than tile floors, more forgiving than tile, offers a nice rustic modern feel with the wood appearance and comes in a variety of colors and options.”

The Whites also desired additional storage capacity in the bathroom, which led Harmon to design added linen storage.

“We wanted to make it more practical but also, from the aesthetic standpoint, we updated to make it look more modern and fresh,” Harmon says.

Modern, gray-stained cabinetry with a quartz countertop, faucet, mirror and light fixture were all part of the vanity redesign. A new linen cabinet attached to the vanity was added to maximize much-needed storage in the bathroom.

“From a designer standpoint, it’s making sure everything comes together in a nice way that will complement and flow with the rest of the home,” Harmon says.

According to Harmon, barn doors are trending right now as well. One was installed to separate the White’s bathroom from the walk-in closet.

“We got rid of the original hinge door in the closet and put in a barn door style that slides on a track,” Harmon says.

“I would say that 10-20 years ago it was all about the tub,” she says. “Everybody was putting in the big corner jacuzzi tub and then there was only enough room left for a really small shower… now it’s completely flipped to the shower being the focal point.”

An example of a modern update would be substituting a large tub for a more dramatic walk-in shower that has either customized tilework or custom glass.

“Obviously, there are other little trends that come and go, but the walk-in shower as the focal point is the classic look right now,” Harmon says.